As usual, it was futile trying to avoid getting entangled with Rashta. Each time, it was either her or Sovieshu that netted me in, but this time it was Sovieshu.

Some of the foreign guests would return to their countries, while a few would stay longer at the southern palace. I returned to the western palace, leaving behind those who wanted to stay up for the drinking and revelry. I wanted to take a warm bath to relieve my fatigue of the day. The ladies-in-waiting also seemed exhausted, so instead of having them follow me, I sent them away to take their rest.

However, before I could even finish drawing the bathwater, Sovieshu’s captain of the guard came to see me. I had a sinking feeling the moment I saw him. For nearly a month, all the times Sovieshu summoned me out of the blue had been unpleasant encounters.

What on earth did he want this time? My mood felt heavy as I walked through the long corridors, but I managed to control my expression. I hoped I could maintain it in front of my husband…

Finally, I entered Sovieshu’s bedroom in the eastern palace. Sovieshu was seated on a chair by the bed, and I also noted Rashta on the bed with a towel on her forehead. I turned back to Sovieshu again, who had his eyes fixed on me.

“…I’ll take my leave.”

The captain closed the door, and the atmosphere became even more oppressive. Sovieshu slowly opened his mouth to speak.

“Do you have anything to say to me?”

His voice was curt.

“Why did you call me here?”

I spoke to him just as bluntly.

“Is that the only thing you want to say?”

“That’s what I’m most curious about now.”

“You do not even blink at this situation.”

Advertisement

The first thought that came to mind was, ‘I must be doing a good job of controlling my facial expression,’ and the corners of my mouth tipped upwards. Sovieshu seemed even more offended by my smile.

“Are you happy that everyone thinks Rashta’s a runaway slave?”

“Are you going to take your anger out on me?”

“Empress.”

“I heard about Miss Rashta at the grand hall. I know you’re upset, but don’t take it out on me.”

“Did you think I called you to vent?”

“You did not?”

“No.”

“Then why did you call me?”

Advertisement

He did not call me to be angry at me, but weren’t his remarks derisive only a while ago? He probably thought I was happy that Rashta was discovered to be a runaway slave.

Sovieshu silently watched Rashta’s sleeping form. The ticking of the clock echoed in the room. Only after some time passed did Sovieshu speak.

“Did you really want to prove that Rashta is a fugitive slave?”

“That story again?”

“The Empress was born a great aristocrat. She had a good family, enormous wealth, great power, a beautiful mansion, and a natural wit and beauty. But in spite of that, she still wants to be on top of everyone.”

It wasn’t a compliment in this situation. I looked at Sovieshu with narrowed eyes, and he sighed.

“Rashta had nothing. She became a slave and had no memory or her parents or family. No property, no power, no home. She is like the Empress who is smart and beautiful, but she doesn’t have opportunities opened to her.”

“…”

Advertisement

“And then she met me, and she had been trying to get these for her own. The chance to be loved, to eat a warm meal, to relax on a comfortable bed, to learn something.”

She also took my husband, but I didn’t say this because my pride was injured. I wanted to ask if he wanted me to sympathize with Rasta, but I couldn’t say it either. I just stared at him without a word. I couldn’t understand why he was talking so much—was he asking me to take care of Rashta because she was in trouble?

“I don’t need you to understand Rashta. But you have the smallest compassion…can you give it?”

Sovieshu exploded at me, but then he stopped himself and collapsed back into his chair. Rashta reached out with a groan, and he quickly took her hand. I noticed that she was wearing a shirt with wide sleeves. I wanted to clench my fist.

“Rashta is your concubine, so you should take care of her. I’m not looking after her because she’s not under my jurisdiction.”

“Who said you had to look after her? Ha. I don’t want you to take care of her, so please leave her alone!”

Advertisement

“Have I ever provoked her?”

“Yesterday in front of Prince Heinley, when he insulted Rashta. Of the two of them, Prince Heinley and Rashta, you should have sided with Rashta. If you don’t know who’s telling the truth, then you should stand by your subjects!”

“As I said, I knew the truth, and sided with Prince Heinley accordingly.”

“Rashta lied?”

“It is you who believe in her innocence, not me.”

“Well, that was yesterday. How about today? Why were you trying to undermine her today?”

“You know I never spoke to Miss Rashta today.”

“Did you. You never talked to Rashta herself, but you called Viscount Roteschu from behind her back.”

The air seemed to crack when he made the accusation. I knew it couldn’t really be, but it sounded like it. I glared at Sovieshu.

“What are you talking about?”

“You wanted to prove that Rashta is a runaway slave, and so you brought Viscount Roteschu.”

“…I invited the viscount because of Miss Rashta?”

What kind of ridiculous invention was this? I was dumbfounded. Sovieshu let out an exhale.

“Ever since I said that Rashta wasn’t an escaped slave, didn’t you want to prove me otherwise? Were you so offended by everyone loving her?”

“You’re speaking nonsense.”

I forced my voice to sound calm, but I felt ready to burst. Sovieshu stood straight up from his chair, his eyes flashing threateningly.

“Who knows the guest invitations better than the Empress? You must have been working hard. You invited Viscount Roteschu.”

“Yes, I know the invitations very well. It was my job. However, I invited him weeks before Rashta even came to the palace.”

“He’s not an important guest, so why did you invite him to the celebrations?”

“As I said before…I’m not interested in every single thing concerning Miss Rashta. And you were confident that she was not a runaway slave. Under these circumstances, why would I not send an invitation to Viscount Roteschu?”

I didn’t even know she was his slave. The only connection I knew was that Sovieshu had found her on the hunting grounds near Roteschu’s estate. Since then, I had never heard mention of it, and if Rashta was commoner, then Roteschu’s attendance was irrelevant. Yet somehow, Sovieshu thought I calculated Rashta was Roteschu’s slave? Me? I was dumbfounded.

“If you have any consideration—”

“You should take care of her yourself. You can’t expect me to look after her, even if I didn’t know she was Roteschu’s slave.”

“…You’re heartless. A woman who has been living in poverty her whole life now wants to stand straight, and you don’t want to see it? You don’t want to be tarnished? The Empress is a horrible woman.”

Cindy B

Fvck, really want to punch him so hard 🤬🤯, why do you have to accuse the empress every time 🖕🏻, you said the empress don’t have to take care of trastha then you said she’s horrible because she didn’t.. what do you want you selfish bastard?! Why do you have to blame the empress every time there’s problem! Please the empress doesn’t even care about it, how narcissistic can you be 🙄

f g

acertainpasserby

Wasn’t a runaway slave supposed to be the lowest person ever since they ran away from their crime? HELLO MISTER SCUM!!! DON’T YOU HAVE A FUDGING IDEA ABOUT WHAT YOU’RE DOING?! You’re really an amazing person and i compliment you for actually not being ashamed of showing of your fudging idoicy to every living things. Actually i want to ask how thick your face is but i forgotten that you were a trashy scum whose idoicy knows no bound so i didn’t ask to save myself a tons of face. That’s just how big your stupidity is yanno.

azhe11

dialaleela

Besides the other noble said that even if people did not come before, they still have invitation coming… I don’t know if the emperor want desperately to be the knight whom came to help the damzelle in distress (an inferiority complex toward the beautiful and perfect empress?) but he’s so blind, arrogant and hateful.
Just make the Trashta your empress you dumbass and leave our beloved Empress alone !!! Stop getting on my nerves jerk è.é

Louise Laliberte

Just like I said…it o.y made him more protective and crazy. Now begins the count down to “Give Rashta the title of Empress, because the current Empress is still a noble with out it., but Rashta is vulnerable with out the title” bullsh*t logic. DIVORCE THAT MORON!!!!!!

1penny4yourthoughts

Arv

I’m speechless in the face of Sovieshu’s stupidity. And I think Navier, too. Like, “I’m not even going to grace this bullshit he spouted with an answer” – and then he goes and draws stupid conclusions. But what can you do in the face of such stupidity?
… I’m not sure I’ve ever used stupidity so many times in such a short text.

furballweb

I super duper fucking hate this emperor shitty guy…. how did he even become king anyway???? With his stupidity without investigating first n he just fucking assume!!!!! I say.. just get a divorce already will you?? Face slapped when she get married with the eagle prince.. and watch how the fucking slave destroy their kingdom like seriously.. arghhh….

4Curses

Elize Nguyen

I felt pity for the citizens of the Eastern Empire because when Navier married into another country, they would have to deal with a white lotus who had no empress education and an emperor who had his noble view distorted. All I have to say to Sovieshu is: “Die, you trash-addict.”

Nytegale666

Seraphina Jackson

Is this man ok? Can he really rule over his Kingdom well? Cuz I’m confused. This seems like the exact opposite of an Emperor who understands anything. I know Rashta is a white lotus, but this mans brain is in over drive with nothing but sexual attachment to her.

Navi never had freedom either, she didn’t choose to become your Empress, she was groomed… whoever or whatever she wanted to be she never could because she was forced to be ready to stand by your side for a life time from the time she could understand things.

And you think that after all those years of her being kind enough to take care of you as a friend while your father was a scumbag, and to keep taking care of things well not just because she was the Empress but because she cared for her country?

This poor man is under the illusion that the woman whom is supposedly free and cold, whom never even got to choose who she would become… is jealous of a slave who only knows how to cry? Maybe is even if she was a slave she stood proud and tall and wasn’t such a fake, but even if she was jealous… as the Empress, any woman she’d could’ve been jealous of in the past wouldn’t have ended up well… but Navi… this poor woman.

The Emperor will rule a fallen Empire, and the people will cry out to kill the calamitous beauty who fooled the heart of their Emperor and ruined their country… and they shall grieve for the Empress who married another who was the only who held them up and cared about them all…

Avel Maldivia

The shitlord (excuse my french) is getting worse by the chapters… what kinda dumb person thinks that everything must revolve around trashta and every single bad thing happening to the scamp, our preciojs Navier’s fault? He doesnt cuss out Roteschu or whomever the other guy it for owning slaves but repeatedly publicly shames the perfect Empress because of some rumors and some baseless jealousy? Navier please just slap the guy and shove it in his face that you never loved him!